


Time Doesn't Stop

by StarseekerWolf



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Because Kaz is Kaz, F/M, Fluff, Gangs, Hurt and comfort, M/M, Manipulation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-14 18:31:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19279009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarseekerWolf/pseuds/StarseekerWolf
Summary: Jesper is a free spirit. He spends his days charming the souls of Ketterdam's streets and his nights taking their money at various casinos. Things should be great, but he feels empty.Wylan is lost. Having been kicked out of his home, he isn't sure where his life is going, if anywhere. Still, the prospect of venturing out into the unknown is just a little bit exciting.Maybe they can help each other out.





	1. The Lights were Dazzling

**Author's Note:**

> This is branching off of a one shot I wrote for my Six of Crows One-Shots work. The first chapter is the one-shot, and everything after that is new. Hope you enjoy! Happy Pride Month!!

**Jesper's POV**

During the day, Ketterdam was alive, but as Jesper liked to think of it, Ketterdam at night was Ketterdam on steroids.

Tourists came during the day for the ships and the stores, but those who were brave enough to stay through the night were the ones who were serious about what Ketterdam had to offer. Flashing neon signs and outrageously loud music marked the casinos, dens of chaos and thievery and overall satisfaction. Maybe that's what Jesper liked about it the most.

"That was a good run," he grinned to the other people at his table. "But I'm afraid it was all for naught." He threw down his cards, revealing a winning hand.

The people around him groaned, slamming their hands down in frustration. He watched them carefully as he collected his winnings. Most of them looked disappointed but still sated with the thrill of the game.

The man across from him, though, did not look happy. He looked like a man who felt he had been cheated out of his money and would be looking for revenge. _I'll need to watch out for him,_ Jesper thought. It was always the hungry ones that were the most destructive to his fun and his savings.

He was about to propose another round when a flash of red-gold caught his eye. Acting on instinct, he turned towards the door in time to see a boy slipping into the casino.

He narrowed his eyes. A kid with pockets so obviously laden with bills was definitely not a Ketterdam native. Not that he felt any attachment, but maybe he should warn the boy about the nature of things here. After all, he knew how rough it could be, trying to make a name for yourself in the city's semi-underground industry.

"Perhaps I'll return later," he smiled, shoving the money into the bag he had come prepared with and slinging it over his shoulder. "Best of luck to you."

Then he turned, slipping through the crowd in search of the boy.

He wasn't hard to find. The flashing lights made it easy to spot his hair-that was the red and gold he had seen-and Jesper followed him towards a back table. Before the kid could even more towards the table, Jesper clapped a hand down on his shoulder and spun him around.

He came face to face with a teen around his age with a devastatingly good looking face. Not a kid like Jesper had first assumed. 

Ignoring the shock that was jolting through his veins, Jesper let a lazy smile cross his features. "Hey," he grinned. "First time here?"

The boy eyed him warily. "Yeah," he said, sounding guarded. "How could you tell?"

Jesper patted the boy's coat pocket where it hung at his thigh, and the boy blushed. "You're loaded, my friend," Jesper stated. "It's a bit hard not to notice. In fact, I bet at least three other people are watching this exchange right now, Mr. ... ?"

"Van Eck," the boy supplied. "Wylan van Eck."

"Well, Wylan van Eck," Jesper mused, "I think you had better leave."

The teen looked confused. "Leave? Why would I do that? I just got here."

"It's not safe for you," Jesper clarified, giving him a light but firm clap on the shoulder. "I'd hate to see those beautiful curls get ruffled."

Wylan blushed. "I don't even know you," he protested. "I don't need you to look after me. In fact, how do I know you're not a serial killer?"

"Serial killers never look this good," Jesper scoffed, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulder. "How about this: I'll let you play, if I can play with you."

Wylan's eyes narrowed. "You'll _let_ me?" he echoed incredulously, and Jesper grinned, glad to see that there was some fire in him. "I don't recall asking your permission."

"Well, permission granted," Jesper smirked.

Wylan's mouth opened and closed before he let out a frustrated huff. "Fine. But after this, you stay away from me."

Jesper reached out and brushed back one of Wylan's curls. The pale boy flushed, biting his lip. Jesper's gaze shamelessly darted down to follow the movement, before moving back up to stare Wylan straight in the eye.

"No promises," he murmured.

*****

**Wylan's POV**

Wylan had to admit, playing cards with the boy wasn't half as bad as he thought it would be. Wylan was having a decent amount of fun, and his earnings were only just under respectable.

The boy, though ... He was something else. His dark skin was illuminated by the color changing lights above as he raked in another hoard of chips with an almost feral grin. He was good, almost unfairly so. It was the kind of expertise that either came from beginner's luck or years of practice, and the boy didn't carry himself like he was new to this place.

 _Do I carry myself that way?_ Wylan wondered. The boy had been able to pick him out pretty easily, so there must have been something distinguishable about him other than his heavy pockets. That hadn't been the brightest of ideas in the first place.

"I think I'm gonna call it for the night," the boy laughed. "Quit while I'm ahead."

"Aw, c'mon, Jes, don't be like that," one of the men urged, patting the center of the table. "Stay for another round."

"Nah," Jes said, waving him off as he swept the chips into his bag. "I think I'm good. Maybe tomorrow night."

The man got to his feet, and Wylan's heartbeat quickened as he realized just how tall this stranger was. "I _said,_ stay for another round," he growled.

Jes's eyes darkened and his expression grew hard. "I don't think so, mate," he growled. His hand strayed to his hips, and Wylan stifled a gasp. He hadn't exactly been paying attention to Jes's hips before, but were those _revolvers_?

The words flew from his lips before he could stop them. "Uh, Jes, why don't we get some air?" he suggested. Gripping Jes's arm, he pulled him away from the table and out of the casino.

The air outside was humid, the sidewalk still slightly damp from the earlier rain. Still, it might as well have been daytime for all the lights that brightened the streets. It was unlike anything Wylan had ever seen before, and despite what he had heard about the city, he was starting to think that he couldn't have made a better choice of where to go.

"It was just harmless fun," Jes said. "Nothing to worry about."

"Right," Wylan deadpanned, unconvinced. "What are these, anyway?"

He reached for the revolvers, but Jes skirted out of the way before he could. "Ah, ah, ah," the boy grinned. "Careful what you're grabbing at, or you might get more than what you bargained for."

Wylan felt his cheeks heat up, and he looked away. Jes was attractive - that wasn't the problem. The problem was that flirting was entirely out of Wylan's realm of capabilities. That probably had something to do with the fact that he'd never gotten a chance to try.

"So, I'll see you around, Wylan?" Jes asked, raising one eyebrow. A nearby street light was casting a beautiful shadow over him, highlighting the lines of his face.

"See you around, Jes," Wylan replied with a hesitant grin.

Jes's gaze pierced him. "Actually ... Call me Jesper." He turned and began walking down the sidewalk, his hands tucked comfortably into his pockets.

"Jesper," Wylan whispered to himself. The boy's head turned to the side as he walked, and Wylan could've sworn he saw a smile curl his lips.


	2. We Meet Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wylan can't get Jesper out of his head, and as it turns out, Jesper's feeling just the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really excited to write this story! I've always loved Wylan and Jesper together; I can't believe I didn't do this sooner!

**Wylan's POV**

Despite Ketterdam's flaws, Wylan couldn't get over just how busy the place was. People of all ages hurried up and down the streets in a blur, ducking into shops or dark alleyways. He hadn't encountered a sidewalk that wasn't full to the brim, and people were constantly crossing the road, barely glancing at traffic.

Granted, there weren't too many cars on the streets. Ketterdam was more of a walking place.

Wylan was perfectly fine with that. It allowed him to see more of the city, which he was glad to do. If he was going to be staying here, he might as well acquaint himself with the place.

He passed a small grassy area closed off by a white picket fence; one of the many pockets of nature throughout the city that gave it color and life. The tree growing in this particular one had deep brown wood and a sturdy trunk.

_Dark skin illuminated by rapidly changing colored lights. A flash of white teeth, a smile that was meant for him._

Wylan curled and uncurled his fingers. He _had_ to stop thinking about Jesper.

Easier said than done, though. The memories of that night still followed him, even to his dreams. Each time, he imagined their encounter ending a bit differently than it had.

But that was crazy, right? He had only met Jesper for a few hours. Feeling this way was entirely unjustified.

So Wylan kept walking and tried his best to put the handsome boy out of his mind.

Unfortunately, that proved to be difficult when he spotted the said boy a block or two later.

He gave a start when he realized who it was, and without thinking, ducked behind the corner of a nearby building. He frowned to himself. _Why am I hiding?_

Well, there was an answer to that, as it turned out. Jesper was with a girl.

Wylan watched as Jesper leaned forward, intimately close. The girl giggled at whatever it was he'd said, reaching up one hand to touch his bicep. Jesper laughed and flexed his muscles, causing her to squeal.

It was then that Jesper shifted his gaze slightly to the left and saw Wylan. 

**Jesper's POV**

All thoughts of the girl, whoever she was (hell if he knew), dropped out of Jesper's mind as soon as he saw those red-gold curls. He pushed away from the wall and strode towards Wylan, ignoring the girl's offended protest behind him. He'd deal with that later.

Right now, he had to talk to the boy he'd been thinking about for the past week.

Wylan's expression was guarded as he approached, and he winced, realizing he was the reason for that. How was he supposed to make it clear that he had no interest in the girl whatsoever?

"You look like you're busy," Wylan commented, his eyes not quite meeting Jesper's. "You sure you don't want to keep talking to her instead?"

Jesper smirked at him, determined to keep up his cool and confident front. "Nah. I'm right where I want to be."

Surprise flickered in Wylan's eyes. _Aha!_. "I, uh-Okay," the boy stammered, shoving his hands awkwardly into his coat pockets.

"So," Jesper said, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall of the building, "how are you doing?"

"Fine, I suppose. I, uh ... I was kind of hoping I'd run into you."

 _Is that so ... ?_ "Funny you should say that," Jesper smiled. "I was kind of thinking the same thing."

Wylan's cheeks took on a pink tinge. It was becoming quickly obvious that he couldn't hide a blush to save his life. "You, uh, you were?"

"Yes," Jesper chuckled. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. "What say you we give each other our numbers and set up a time to meet?"

"We're here right now," Wylan blurted. "Why not now?" His eyes widened, like he was shocked that he had suggested such a daring thing. But then, something changed in his eyes, and his stare grew challenging. "Unless you have something better to do, of course."

The corner of Jesper's lips curled upward. _Interesting ..._ "On the contrary, now is a perfect time," he grinned.

"I would still, uh - still - I would still like your number, though. If that's okay. Um. Yeah," Wylan muttered, stumbling over his words a bit. Chuckling to himself, Jesper decided to take pity on him and they traded phones without another word, each returning them to their rightful owners once their numbers were programmed in.

"Where should we go?" Wylan asked.

"You're new to the city. How about you choose?"

Wylan shook his head. "You know this city better than anyone, I'm willing to bet," he said adamantly. "You must know all of the best places."

Well, Jesper couldn't argue with that. Flicking his gaze to some unknown point in the distance, he ran through a list of options in his mind. Thinking quickly, he said, "There's a place about a block down. Not too expensive, but they have pretty good food."

"Sounds good to me," Wylan grinned.

They strolled down the sidewalk, a safe distance between them. He didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved.

Wylan was cute, no doubt about it. He had a soft, innocent glow about him, though Jesper knew the fire he was capable of lay only just underneath the surface.

Still ... This wasn't something Jesper was used to. He hadn't looked at someone as a match in a really long time, and even then, it hadn't been anything too serious.

 _What's so different about you, Wylan van Eck?_ he wondered. It had only been a week, but he felt intrigued by this boy who had swept into town, with full pockets and seemingly no direction. He knew he needed to take it slow and figure out what exactly was going on here, but he almost didn't want to.

When had he ever done anything slow?

It was a short walk to the restaurant Jesper had suggested. The waiter eyed them suspiciously when they stepped up to the front podium, but Jesper tried not to mind too much. It wouldn't be the first time. Wylan didn't seem to notice at all.

They were seated in a comfortable booth, one of them on each side. The restaurant itself was dimly lit, but there was a lamp attached to the wall that cast a warm, soft yellow glow over the table as they sat down.

Jesper already knew what he was getting, but he snuck casual glances at Wylan as the boy stared at the menu. It took him a moment to realize that Wylan wasn't perusing it, just looking at it with pursed lips.

"What's wrong?" Jesper asked.

Wylan shook his head, sitting back in his seat. He wasn't meeting Jesper's gaze. "I ... Just order for me."

Jesper frowned, confused. "I ... Sure, yeah. If you want."

**Wylan's POV**

He hated the confused, slightly hurt expression on Jesper's face, but he wasn't about to tell him that he couldn't read. That was far too personal, even for someone that he already felt he had a connection with. For all he knew, this sense of trust and companionship might be completely misguided.

_Somehow, I don't think so ..._

He quickly hushed his inner voice with annoyance.

He did appreciate that Jesper didn't question him. It would've been well within his rights to (not that he would have told him, even then), but instead of pushing, he let it be. That was something Wylan would remember. Trust didn't come easily for him, but the boy sitting across the booth from him was proving to be a worthy contender for it.

True to his word, when the waiter came back, Jesper spoke for both of them. He got himself a steak, medium rare, and ordered Wylan chicken quesadillas.

Wylan turned to Jesper as the waiter left. "You don't strike me as a meat kind of guy."

Jesper immediately raised his eyebrows. "Oh, really?"

He immediately regretted his choice of wording. Wylan kept his voice steady even as he fought hard not to blush (he failed). "No, not really."

"You're cute when you blush," Jesper said abruptly. "You should do it more often."

 _I ... WHAT?_ He was just screaming a little on the inside, nothing serious.

"I ... uh ... " He cleared his throat. "Guess you'll just have to keep saying things that make me."

Jesper's gray eyes sparkled in the shadow the booth lights. "Is that a challenge?"

Wylan stuttered for a moment, trying to think of something to say, while Jesper just smirked at him calmly. Right as he opened his mouth to reply, the restaurant filled with terrified screams and gasps of fear.

Immediately, Jesper was out of his seat and into Wylan's, shielding him. He cautiously peered out from behind Jesper's shoulder, his heart pounding.

_I told you this was a bad idea, are you kidding me? Really? Why today? Why me? Why anything?_

After a moment, he saw Jesper tense, and came to the conclusion that the threat was drawing near. He drew back against the wall, getting ready to defend himself if need be. He wouldn't go out without a fight, not after everything he'd endured.

He was expecting tall, buff thugs, holding guns and wearing ski masks. Instead, someone completely different came into view.

It was two someones, actually: a boy and a girl.

The boy had dark hair and hard, coffee brown eyes. His skin was pale, like he'd never seen sunlight, and he held a cane in one of his black-gloved hands. 

The girl, on the other hand, was the picture of health. Her bronze skin had a lively glow to it, and a dark fire burned in her eyes. Still, despite her small build, there was something dangerous about her, something that wasn't immediately obvious to Wylan.

They both looked to be about his age, which disturbed him most of all.

Jesper seemed to know them, though. His hands curled into fists at his side, and his voice was cold as he spoke.

"Kaz."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yayyyy, here's Kaz and Inej! What are your thoughts so far? Is this a good AU?


	3. Some Memories are Best Left Buried

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fearing for Wylan's safety, Jesper makes a deal with the bastard of the Barrel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a bit of a longer chapter for you! Honestly, I'm kind of surprising myself with how quickly I'm updating this. I'm really invested in this storyline, if I'm being honest.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter. I had a lot of fun writing it!

**Jesper's POV**

He stared at the boy in front of him, the boy that, despite his young appearance, was one of the most feared people in Ketterdam.

Kaz's lips curled up at the corners. "Jesper. I'd say it's good to see you again, but it's really not."

Inej shot him a look of reproach. Her black hair was tucked into a tight ponytail as always. She hadn't changed a bit since the day he left the Dregs and never looked back.

Kaz's gaze drifted to Wylan, and his eyes flashed with interest. Jesper bristled, though he didn't know why. There was something in him that just didn't want Kaz looking at Wylan like that.

"Jesper," Inej said. "What are you doing here?"

He glanced around with an expression of mock wonder. "Last time I checked, this was a restaurant." Her lips twisted into a frown, and he felt a brief flash of guilt. She hadn't done any wrong to him.

"No need for unpleasantness," Kaz said with a cold smile. "Just leave, while you can, and don't worry about what's about to go down."

Jesper scowled at him. Kaz had either gotten sloppier or unconcerned. The backstreet mastermind he'd known not too long ago never would've shown himself in broad daylight unless he could help it. "I kind of have this thing against you dragging innocent bystanders into your business," he said. "So unless you give me a good reason, I don't think I'll be going anywhere."

"Kemerst Apartments, room 305," Kaz replied. Jesper heard Wylan gasp behind him, and Kaz directed his gaze to the younger boy. "That's where you're staying, isn't it?"

Jesper's fists tightened and he gritted his teeth. _I swear ..._ "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Kaz narrowed his eyes. "Oh, don't act so surprised. We had eyes on you the second you walked out the door. When you start keeping company, I take interest."

"If you come near him, I-"

"You'll what?" Jesper sure hadn't missed that infuriating, all-knowing smile. "How will you protect him? You are one boy, one very foolish, vulnerable boy. There isn't a thing you could do to stop me. Do you know why?" He leaned in close. "When I want something ... I take it."

Inej's frown deepened. "Kaz-"

He raised a hand to silence her. "I'm willing to cut you a deal, Jesper. I will agree not to harm Wylan if you help me out with something."

Jesper's temper was steadily growing worse. "I'm done with that life," he growled. "I thought I made that pretty clear."

Kaz chuckled. "You are in no position to refuse."

 _I ..._ Damn _it_.

"It's nothing of the dangerous, risk your life type," the criminal continued. "I just need you to help me get information on someone and their whereabouts."

"Isn't that what you have Inej for?" Jesper asked. He didn't mean for it to sound like a jab, but it did, and the assassin girl's brows furrowed. He winced internally, realizing how demeaning it could come across.

"Inej will be helping," Kaz explained patiently, "as will several others. You, though ... I'll need your skills especially."

 _My skills ..._ Jesper's lip curled. He meant Jesper's talent with guns. _Come to think of it, I shouldn't have left my revolvers at home ..._

"And what if I say no?" he demanded.

A grin spread over Kaz's face, though there was nothing warm or humorous about it. "Well, I would tell you to keep Wylan close, but ... He wouldn't be close for long."

Jesper closed his eyes. He had known Wylan for a week, and already, he was being used as leverage. This was what anyone got for being involved with him-getting tangled up in this life that he had already tried to leave behind.

Pursing his lips, he came to the realization that he had no choice. "Fine. I'm in."

*****

**Wylan's POV**

He didn't say anything as he and Jesper walked, too consumed by his own thoughts to even try to form a coherent sentence.

_Who was that? What does he want with Jesper? What's the history between them? What is he trying to get Jesper to do?_

He was curious about that girl, Inej. She hadn't said much, but then, she hadn't had to, and by the way she'd spoken Kaz's name, it seemed that she was the only one who had the capability of reigning him in. Judging by the way he'd shut her down, though, that was only on good days.

The interaction had put Jesper in a foul mood, but it had left Wylan positively shaken. How could this boy, a boy that didn't even look much older than him, know who he was and where he lived? He'd said that they had eyes on Jesper, but prior to now, he'd only been with Jesper at the casino. Did that mean there had been a member of this crooked gang at the casino that night? Or had someone been watching them outside as they parted ways?

 _If Father could see me now ..._ Wylan thought bitterly. Jan van Eck would have a heart attack if he knew that his supposedly proper son was somehow involved in gang matters.

_Trust me ... I didn't choose this._

"Please say something," Jesper murmured, drawing Wylan's attention to him. He was staring intently at the sidewalk, his arms held tightly at his sides.

"I don't know what to think," Wylan sighed. "I think it would help if ... if you explained some things to me."

His companion nodded in understanding, though he didn't look too happy about it. "I guess an explanation is in order," he reasoned. "Where do you want to go?"

"My apartment, I guess. If they already know where I live, then why bother hiding it?"

"That's the spirit!"

It was only a brief walk back to Wylan's apartment building. It was nothing special, just a tall structure of drab beige walls and shuttered windows. They silently agreed to take the elevator up to the third floor, where his room was. When they reached the door to 305, Wylan held his room key up to the scanner and opened the door when the light turned green.

"Here we are," he muttered, swinging the door inward and stepping out of the way so Jesper could move past, closing the door behind them. "Home sweet home."

It was nothing special. It was a three room apartment space: a bedroom, a living room, and a kitchen space that doubled as a dining room (well, four rooms if the bathroom off the bedroom was to be counted). The walls were plain white, and the furnishing was fairly sparse; nothing above what was necessary. The appliances were outdated by a decade or so, the water took at least five minutes to heat up, and the bed wasn't particularly comfortable.

But it was what he had. He was trying to be smart with his spending until he could find a way to make money, and while this wasn't the cheapest option available, it was as far as he was willing to compromise where quality was concerned.

"Not bad," Jesper said. His expression was neutral, but his tone was sincere. It was one of the things Wylan liked about him. "Especially for a starter place."

" ... Starter place?"

"Well, yeah." Jesper grinned. "I assume you're going to settle in for a while, get used to the city and the feel of things, kinda put down some roots, and then look for somewhere a bit more permanent. Don't worry, I see it all the time. It's a perfectly reasonable thing to do."

Wylan licked his lips. _How do I say this ... ?_ "Jesper, I ... I'm not planning on staying here forever."

The other boy's smile faltered. "What?"

"I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll be here for a while, and as of right now, I have no game plan for the future, but ... This was never meant to be the permanent solution."

Jesper quickly regained his composure, giving a tight-lipped smile. "Right. I shouldn't assume." _I've messed things up._ "Anyway, we didn't come here for you to tell me your grand plan for housing arrangements. We're here because I owe you some answers to the questions I'm sure you have." He gestured to the couch. "Shall we sit?"

**Jesper's POV**

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed. He had hoped Wylan would be sticking around for a while yet. He was an interesting person, and Jesper had wanted to bring out the wildest sides of him, to show him all of Ketterdam's secrets. He supposed he could still do that, just under a time limit. The idea wasn't the most appealing one.

Still, this wasn't about Jesper, it was about Wylan getting the answers he deserved. He reminded himself of that as they settled down onto the plush couches, facing each other with a table between them.

"So," he sighed. "Where to start ... "

"I've heard that the beginning is as good a place as any," Wylan said with a faint smile. So Jesper did.

"My mother died when I was fourteen," he began. "My father tried for a long time, he really did, but he never fully stopped blaming himself. I think he even blamed me a little."

"Why?"

"It was easier than admitting that she chose her path of her own free will. The path of helping others, no matter what the cost to herself. He hated looking back and knowing there was nothing he could've done to stop her, to change her mind.

"Anyway, after about a year, I knew I couldn't stay at my family farm. Things were getting difficult, and it held a lot of bittersweet memories. So I came here, to Ketterdam, with the intentions of going to a university."

Wylan's brows rose ever so slightly. "Intentions?"

"I may have gotten a little sidetracked," Jesper admitted. "Considering how we met, I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to infer that I have a bit of a ... habit of gambling. Naturally, money has to come from somewhere, and when I originally came here, I didn't have much of it. So I joined the Dregs."

"Kaz's ... gang?"

"Right. Well, sort of. Kaz isn't exactly the leader, but he might as well be. He's a mastermind, pretty bright as far as criminals go; as far as people go, really. He would constantly be told that he has such potential, if only he had used his talent for school instead ... " Jesper's lips twisted into a wry smile. "But us Dregs knew he was right where he belonged."

Wylan eyed him. "You were close?"

Jesper laughed. "I don't know if anyone is _close_ to Kaz Brekker. Inej, _maybe_ , but ... I mean, I guess I would've considered us friends, but I don't think the sentiment would be returned." He smirked. "Why? Are you jealous?"

The boy across from him blushed furiously. "I-no-just-just keep going." _That never gets old._

"Life was nice for a time," Jesper continued. "We would run the odd job, of course, but for the most part, things were pretty normal. We'd direct incoming tourists to the right places and profit off of it."

He'd expected the look that Wylan was now giving him, but that didn't make it sting any less. He could see it in Wylan's eyes-the contempt, the lack of understanding. He wouldn't try to justify his actions, because a part of him knew it had been wrong. But it'd kept his debt in check and given his life some kind of purpose. That was all that had seemed necessary at the time.

"Eventually, though, things inevitably went wrong. And by that, I mean my dad visited town, found out I wasn't attending university, and got dragged into one of Kaz's wild schemes." He scowled, his mood worsening just at the thought of that entire escapade. "He could have died."

Wylan's gaze softened. "I'm so sorry."

"It is what it is. So after that, I dropped out of the Dregs. I didn't make a scene or turn it into some kind of rebellion. I just told Kaz I was leaving, then followed up on that." He sighed. "I thought I was done, I really did ... Clearly, though, he isn't quite as willing to let me go."

"What does he want from you?"

"God only knows," Jesper sighed. "I imagine I'll be finding out soon enough." He pursed his lips. "Wylan, I really am sorry. I never intended for this to happen, especially not to you."

"Well ... it did," Wylan pointed out. "You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault. I can look after myself."

Jesper leaned forward abruptly, and he could tell the other boy was surprised by the sudden urgency of his movement. "Wylan, you have no idea what you're dealing with here," he said quietly. "These aren't just some back ally thugs looking for their next high. They might be an army of sheep when it comes down to it, but they're the best of the best, and they're led by the shrewdest lion out there." He shook his head. "Don't underestimate them. I don't want you to get hurt."

Letting out a breath, he sat back against the couch. Wylan looked shaken, and quite frankly, Jesper didn't blame him. This was a lot to take in, and while he hated that he had to give such a dire warning, it was necessary. He wasn't about to leave this boy, who he was starting to care about against his better judgement, unprepared for the weeks ahead.

Assuming they had weeks, anyway. After all, he was leaving eventually, wasn't he? That fact wasn't about to change, no matter how much Jesper wanted it to.

**Wylan's POV**

For every question of his that had been answered, there were now two more in its place.

It was clear that there was more to Jesper's history with Kaz than he was letting on, though the nature of that history was what Wylan was unsure about. He didn't ask for fear of finding out something he didn't really want to know. It was Jesper's business, anyway.

More than that, though, was why Kaz seemed so interested in him. He couldn't possibly be that valuable as leverage; Jesper barely knew him. Kaz seemed to disagree, though, and Wylan was beginning to think that he was in way over his head.

He couldn't shake the memory of Kaz's dark, haunted eyes, and the gloved hands that seemed to conceal an even darker story. That boy had seen things, and that likely made him all the more dangerous.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by Jesper moving. The tall boy stood, looking uncomfortable for having shared so much. "It'll be getting dark soon," he commented. "You might want to head to bed. It's been a long day." He grimaced, like it was all his fault.

Jesper stood there awkwardly for a moment, like he wasn't sure whether to go or not. His gray eyes flickered with uncertainty as he searched Wylan's face.

 _Stay, stay, stay,_ Wylan's mind chanted, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. Surely it was too soon. He didn't want to sound desperate or clingy.

Luckily, Jesper seemed to pick up on his thoughts. He gave a slight nod. "I'll wait here while you shower or change or do whatever you need to do," he said. "Call whenever you're done. Take your time," he added, almost as an afterthought.

Wylan nodded and practically hurried from the living room, exhaling once he was in his bedroom with the door closed.

Was he about to have a ... a sleepover of sorts? He'd never had one before, courtesy of his father's strictness and his own lack of friends, so he wasn't really sure how it was supposed to go. Did Jesper expect to sleep in Wylan's bed with him? He frowned. _I know you, but not_ that _well._

Putting that at the back of his mind, he decided to do as Jesper suggested and get freshened up. He went into the bathroom, slipped out of his clothes, and turned the shower on. Once the water eventually heated up, he stepped inside and let it cascade over his skin.

It was a welcome reprieve from the day's events. He felt his tense muscles gradually start to relax, and he sighed in content as he massaged cheap shampoo into his hair. He let his thoughts wander, jumping from Kaz to his father to the handsome boy mere feet away, only two thin doors between them.

He didn't take too long in the shower; he didn't want to keep Jesper waiting, and he also didn't want to allow a situation to arise where Jesper would have to come find him. The thought caused an unwanted blush to color his cheeks, so he hurriedly shoved it as far down in his subconscious as possible. _I_ cannot _be thinking of stuff like that right now. Jeez._

After toweling off, he headed into his bedroom and quickly put on the pajamas he'd packed. They were childish-leaf green with cartoon style ladybugs plastered all over them-but they were a familiar comfort, and it helped anchor him as he called, "Okay, I'm ready."

Moments later, Jesper eased the door open, his hand over his eyes. "You decent?"

 _Oh, great,_ Wylan thought as he fought another blush. "Y-Yeah." He appreciated the gesture, though.

Jesper let his hand fall, but as soon as he saw what Wylan was wearing, he burst out laughing. This time, the blush was too strong to contain. "What?" he complained, his cheeks burning. "What's wrong with my pajamas?"

"You're wearing _ladybug_ pajamas," Jesper wheezed. "Do you have any idea how out of place that is in everything that's been going on?"

Wylan wanted to laugh along, he did, but his frustration and embarrassment won out. "It's one of the few things of my past I have left. I'd appreciate it if you didn't mock it."

That seemed to sober Jesper, whose grin faded into a solemn expression of neutrality. "You're right. I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."

Wylan sighed, annoyed at himself for snapping. "No, it's okay, I'm just ... "

"Overwhelmed by my charm?"

"More like overwhelmed in general."

Jesper nodded. "Well, that's completely understandable, given what's happened today." He raised one eyebrow. "Want to help me move the armchair?"

Relieved that Jesper wouldn't make him share the bed, Wylan nodded, and they brought in the armchair from the living room. It was made of soft, plush cushion-one of the most comfortable pieces of furniture in the apartment, in his opinion.

They set it down against the wall next to the bed, facing the door. He knew it would provide him comfort, to know that someone he (partially) trusted was watching out for him.

Wylan flicked on the lamp on the desk before he turned off the room light; tonight was a night when he didn't want to be in total darkness, and luckily, Jesper didn't comment on it. This was, perhaps, because he was inspecting the book at Wylan's bedside. "What's this?" he asked.

Wylan climbed onto the bed, avoiding Jesper's gaze. "It's a ... It's a book from my childhood," he said, trying to keep his voice level. "When I was smaller, maybe six or seven, the first nanny I had would read it to me to help me to sleep. Worked like a charm."

He risked a glance up and found that Jesper was looking at him with an earnest softness in his eyes. "Would you like me to read to you?" he asked quietly. 

_I ... Wow._ Here was someone who had no idea what Wylan's incapability was, but was offering to read to him anyway. No malicious or mocking intent, just an offer to help him get to sleep.

He was trusting Jesper more and more with each second, and it was a problem, but he nodded anyway, the movement small and meek. He knew he wasn't really giving away his incapability, but it felt like an admission of vulnerability, of weakness.

Or maybe he was reading into it way too much.

Jesper tentatively picked up the book and settled into the armchair with it, flipping it open to the first page. Wylan shifted closer to the side of the bed that Jesper was next to, drawing the blankets over him as the other boy began to read.

His somewhat deep voice turned out to be very relaxing, and Wylan found a beautiful scene before him, a scene that he could pick up his flute and compose a beautiful tune about. Jesper spoke steadily and confidently, reading with the perfect amount of emotion and feeling. The fading sunlight danced across his dark skin, making the ring on his hand gleam whenever he turned the page. Wylan found himself entranced by the quiet perfection of it all.

The book was a tale of adventure, of love, of loss and celebration. It told of a faraway land, one much better than this one, where some people had magical powers of all different sorts. It was a land fit for a fairy tale, and yet it too was not without conflict.

He let himself become lost in Jesper's voice, in this world that he had envisioned since he was a child, in the possibility that there was a Somewhere out there that was better, and soon enough, his eyelids fell closed and he drifted off into a comfortable sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think so far? Obviously, I changed some things around to somewhat fit the Modern AU; it's tagged Canon Divergence for a reason, after all.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Tomorrow is my birthday, so I'll probably be taking the day off, but I'll be right back at it the day after. See you guys then!


	4. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesper goes to find out what exactly Kaz wants, while Wylan worries about him as he looks for employment - of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here goes! At the moment, yes, Kaz is kinda the main antagonist, but ... There is much in store *evil cackle*
> 
> By the way, for the sake of something later on, Kuwei bears a somewhat close resemblance to Wylan. Not so much so that they could be mistaken for each other in broad daylight, but someone who sees them in the same room for the first time might do a quick double take at first.
> 
> Also ... I was like "I should keep this strictly Six of Crows and leave the Shadow and Bone trilogy out of this" but ya know where would the fun in that be??

**Wylan's POV**

Blinking awake, Wylan sat up in bed, his head spinning. Why was his book in the armchair, and why was the armchair-?

 _Jesper_.

A smile curled at his lips, and he quickly threw off the covers. He tugged off his pajamas and had just pulled a pair of jeans on when Jesper walked in.

"Hey, I've got-oh, God."

Jesper stood there staring for a moment before he threw an arm up over his eyes. "Sorry, sorry, God, sorry. I didn't realize-oh, God, sorry!"

"It's-It's fine, I'll be-I'll be out in a second," Wylan squeaked.

The stricken expression on Jesper's face was apparent even from behind his arm. "I-I've got breakfast ready," he muttered, then whisked out of the room in a hurry.

Wylan closed the door and buried his face in his hands. What a way to start the day. Jesper probably thought he was weird, and now that he'd seen him shirtless ...

Wylan pursed his lips. Like anyone else, he'd given some thought as to how other people saw him, but he'd never truly _worried_ what anyone else thought about his looks. Now, he was ... He hated to admit it, but a small part of him was worried that Jesper found him unattractive.

 _This is ridiculous_ , he scolded himself. _Get over yourself._

With the promise of food making his stomach growl, he shimmied into a plain gray shirt and made his way out into the living room.

Jesper stood in the kitchen, piling scrambled eggs and French toast onto two plates. He looked up when he saw Wylan approaching, his expression frustratingly neutral. "I hope you like this stuff," he said.

"I do," Wylan said, thanking his lucky stars that the blush was fading quickly from his cheeks. Had he blown the entire situation out of proportion? Did Jesper often walk in on his friends shirtless when they'd spent the night in the same room? "What's this for?"

"You had a rough day yesterday," Jesper reasoned. "Plus, I never got to treat you to lunch, so ... I figured I'd do something nice for you."

Wylan fought the bashful smile that was trying to push its way through. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

They sat down at the table and ate in a silence that was only slightly uncomfortable. The food was pretty good; the scrambled eggs were only a little bit burnt.

 _I haven't had food as simple as this in forever,_ he realized. _This is ... refreshing. It makes me feel normal._

Since it _was_ his apartment, Wylan took the dishes and briefly washed them off, before sticking them in the dishwasher and turning back to Jesper.

"So ... What now?"

Jesper stood, brushing dust off the front of his jeans. "I'm heading over to the Dregs' place," he replied. "I need to find out what exactly Kaz wants."

Wylan frowned. He knew there wasn't really any reason for him to warn against it-his safety was at stake, too-but he ... This irrational feeling in the pit of his stomach was telling him not to let Jesper anywhere near Kaz and the rest of his gang.

He finally settled for saying, "Be careful. They're dangerous."

Jesper gave him a soft smile. "I know. I will." He pushed his chair in. "How about you? What are your grand plans for the day?"

"I think I'm going to look for a job. The money I brought here won't last forever, after all."

"That sounds like a good idea. Just ... Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will," Wylan echoed. He hesitated. "Where will you go afterwards?"

"Home, probably," Jesper said. "Unless ... you want company?"

He posed it as a question, which Wylan appreciated - it gave him a choice.

And he wanted him to stay, he did. The prospect of sleeping alone, knowing that strangers had knowledge of his whereabouts, was a terrifying one.

But Jesper had his own life, and Wylan knew that. So he took a breath, steeled himself, and said, "No, I'll be alright. Just ... This is going to sound creepy, but where do you live?"

Jesper gave him a knowing look. "It's not creepy, I get it. Here, do you have a pen and paper?"

A few minutes later, Wylan had a slip of paper tightly clasped in his hand as Jesper gave him a farewell salute and headed out the door. He watched him go with a growing feeling of trepidation, a feeling he didn't think he was entitled to have. _Please, just ... Come home safe._

It was only till a moment later that he realized he had referred to 'home' as though it was theirs. Their home.

*****

**Jesper's POV**

It was almost comical, how easily his feet remembered the way. Step after step, familiar in every aspect, from the fissure in the concrete right before the run down Walmart to the rusted weather vane swerving to and fro on the roof of the abandoned barn. Nothing had changed, and that was somehow worse. He had tried so hard to escape, to make sure he would never have to walk this route again, and now that he was here, not a thing had changed. There was nothing to show for his efforts.

 _I can't be negative about this,_ he thought firmly. _Wylan's counting on me._

_Speaking of Wylan ..._

The events of that morning had been a pleasant surprise. He had thought it would be nice to make Wylan breakfast, so he got up early to cook some. It had been hard to get out of that armchair and leave Wylan sleeping so soundly, but he'd done it.

Then ... He'd walked back into the bedroom, and there Wylan was, shirtless.

Jesper hadn't been able to help himself. Before he came to his senses and tore his eyes away, he took a few moments to stare and take in the view.

It's not like Wylan was a bodybuilder or anything, but still. The sunlight coming through the window highlighted the smooth planed of his chest. His hair was mussed up from sleep, his blue eyes wide at the intrusion. He was the embodiment of perfection.

It was an image he was still struggling to get out of his mind. _I'm going to need a clear head for what's to come._

After a few more minutes, the Flat came into view. It was the main headquarters for the Dregs, and Kaz was likely to be there.

He stepped up to the door and rapped three times, then twice. It was a code they'd devised to identify each other in times of danger. He figured it couldn't hurt.

The door opened a few moments later, and he was met by a head of half shaved blond hair. Anika widened her eyes in surprise. "Jes?" She sounded pleasantly surprised. "What are you-"

"I'm not here to stay," he interrupted. "I'm here to see Kaz."

His old gang mate seemed to snap out of it, blinking back to reality with pursed lips. "Right ... He's in his office." She stepped to the side to let him in, closing the door behind him. "Fair warning .. He's in a bit of a mood."

"Isn't he always?"

Leaving Anika near the door, Jesper headed down the hall towards Kaz's office. The wood was creaky as always, as dimly lit as it ever had been. The Dregs that were currently in the Flat turned to stare at him, their expressions a mix of surprise and anger. He didn't blame them. He'd left, after all.

Inej joined him as he approached Kaz's office, falling into step beside him. Despite the fact that she was shorter than him, she did an alarmingly good job of keeping up.

She turned her head towards him with a neutral expression as they went. "You came."

Jesper looked at her solemnly. "I didn't exactly have a choice."

She looked at him hard and long, her deep brown eyes piercing him. "There's always a choice, Jesper. This time, the options just aren't ideal for you." She turned and headed into the office, the loose cloth of her sashes fluttering behind her.

 _You're right about that,_ he sighed inwardly, moving to the doorway. He knocked lightly on the wooden frame to draw Kaz's attention.

The bastard of the Barrel, as he was called, was sitting at a worn wooden desk, pouring over a stack of papers. Inej moved to his side, murmuring as she pointed at something on the top sheet of paper.

But they weren't alone. There were two others in the room, a boy and a girl, who seemed to be staying as far away from each other as they could. The girl he recognized. The boy he didn't.

Kaz looked up at Jesper's knock, his lips drawing into a cool smile. "Ah, I'm so glad you could make it. Please, join us."

Jesper stepped forward warily. "Care to tell me what Nina Zenik and this handsome hunk are doing here?"

Said hunk glowered at him in a mildly terrifying manner, his ice blue eyes hard and unforgiving. "My name is Matthias," he rumbled, sounding annoyed.

"Oh, I just love introductions," Kaz said sarcastically. "I told you you wouldn't be working alone. Meet your accomplices in this task. Nina and Inej you already know. This is Matthias Helvar, prison inmate turned ally."

Jesper eyed him. "So you're a Dreg?" He unconsciously searched for the signature gang tattoo, the reason he didn't wear sleeveless shirts anymore.

Matthias's glower intensified. "No. But if I help out with this, my permanent record will be wiped clean. No charges of false crimes."

Looking at the guy, it wasn't too hard to see him committing some sort of crime, but it sounded like an offer that Kaz would make. He nodded. "My name is Jesper," he said evenly. Matthias only stared back.

"He's not very talkative," Nina said in a fake-quiet voice, her palm cupped to the side of her mouth like she was telling him a secret. "His time in prison _changed_ him."

Matthias shot her a furious glare and was about to open his mouth to retort, but Kaz impatiently struck the bottom of his cane against the floor. "Enough. Save your lover's quarrel for later."

The two of them leaned away from each other, Nina with a smirk on her face and Matthias with a heavy scowl. Jesper didn't know the history there, but it seemed to run deep. That was likely going to be a problem.

"Anyway, the details." Kaz sifted through papers until he unveiled a photograph. He lifted it nimbly with his thin fingers, holding it up for all of them to see. "This is our target."

Jesper blinked quickly. His first thought when he saw the boy in the picture was, _Wylan._

But upon closer inspection, he knew he was wrong. This boy had red gold curls, but they had a bit more gold to them. His jawline wasn't as hard, his cheekbones too delicate, his skin too pale. There was a resemblance there, but it wasn't a particularly strong one.

"His name is Kuwei Yul-Bo," Kaz informed them, his index finger tapping the photo. "His father made drafts of a new gun prototype, and as far as we know, Kuwei has perfected those drafts and actually built a model. If we can get our hands on him, we can recover the schematics and ... _employ_ him a bit."

Jesper fought the sneer that was trying to fight its way to the surface. _Employ him._ Right. More like threaten, manipulate, and torture the boy till they got what they wanted from him.

Much as he hated the idea, though, he had Wylan to keep in mind. The same exact thing could happen to him if Jesper didn't go along with this, and after he was done with Wylan, who knew what Kaz would do to him ...

So he stayed silent as Kaz continued.

"We need to locate him," the criminal mastermind said firmly. "Inej has tried, but he has proved to be quite ... elusive."

Inej pursed her lips at that. Jesper could imagine that this frustrated her, not succeeding at gathering intel on someone. The Wraith (which was basically her street name) was known for being able to find out anything, about anyone. This was probably a blow to her ego.

"This prototype could completely change the game here in Ketterdam," Kaz declared, his eyes gleaming with dangerous light. "It could make us-"

"It could make you top dog," Matthias finished in a growl. "Is that what you want here?"

Kaz cocked his head to the side. "Of course. In addition, though, I do have a client willing to pay good money for some of these prototypes."

Something in the way he spoke made Jesper uneasy. "How much?" he questioned.

Kaz met his gaze. "Thirty million dollars."

Jesper nearly choked on air. _Thirty million dollars?!_ He only knew of a few men who'd be willing to pay that much for a _prototype_ , and none of them made for a good scenario.

Nina, never one to miss out on a detail, seemed to be thinking the exact same thing. "Now who on Earth would pay that much for something that isn't even guaranteed to work?" she asked, an edge to her voice. _This must be news to her, too._

"Jan van Eck would," Kaz replied.

Inej sucked in a breath. _Has he kept this from her, too?_ "Kaz-"

"I'm not exactly happy about this development," he said through gritted teeth. His tone made it clear they were not to argue with him. "But it's money, and a lot of it. Plus, we will benefit from this greatly ... if we can pull it off."

Somehow, Jesper had forgotten just how insane Kaz was. _Jan van Eck._ The name bounced around in his head. He was a businessman; a rich one, but a businessman nonetheless. So why did his name sound so familiar, and why was he interested in one of these prototypes?

"This is kind of counter productive," Jesper pointed out. "If the point of this is to have an advantage, giving him models of the gun kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it?"

Kaz smiled, that wicked, unnatural smile that sent chills down Jesper's spine. "It would, except that ... You should know by now. I always have a plan."

*****

**Wylan's POV**

Everything was too much of something.

Too hard. Too far away. Too many requirements. Too shady. It was getting frustrating.

It wasn't like he was entirely inexperienced, but the things he knew how to do were rather useless. Knowing how to put on a bow tie wasn't going to help him flip burgers (not that he thought he was capable of doing that in any situation).

That's when he came to the Starbucks.

 **Try your hand at being a barista** , the poster in the window read. **Full training offered. Come in to apply!** Towards the bottom, it said, **Drinks half off for employees**.

Wylan thought about that for a moment. Starbucks ... That wouldn't be so bad. A cozy environment, steady employment, and coffee half off with training provided ... That would admittedly be nice.

So he walked in.

The door let out a little jingle as he walked in. Soft instrumental music was playing in the background, and the lights were a cozy yellow instead of a blinding fluorescent white. The soft whir of machinery could be heard behind the counter, and it was somewhat comforting.

Shoving down his nervousness, Wylan approached the counter. A girl and a boy stood there with an almost intimate closeness, and he was nervous to interrupt, but ...

 _This is important,_ he reminded himself. _I need a job if I want to stay here for now._

So he stood there for a moment, waiting to be noticed. It was an awkward span of time, even though it was only a few seconds, but eventually, the girl looked up and saw him. "Oh!" she exclaimed, sweeping a lock of shimmery silver hair behind her ear in an embarrassed manner. "Sorry, I didn't notice you there. What can I get for you?"

"Um, actually, I'm here about the open barista position," Wylan said. "Is that still available?"

"Yes, of course," the girl said, looking relieved. "Do you have a minute to fill out the forms here, or do you want to take them home?"

The answer was almost too easy. "I've got some time." If anything, it would keep him out of his apartment, and if he was lucky, he'd be able to stop worrying about Jesper.

 _Jesper ..._ He would probably already be at the Dregs' place, wouldn't he?

Wylan didn't have very much experience with real world gangs. Of course, he'd read about them in stories and the news and such, but he'd never seen a gang member up close.

To be fair, Kaz seemed pretty different from any of the stereotypes. He wasn't buff and brawny, he didn't ride a motorcycle, and he had no visible tattoos. He was unnerving in all of the ways a person shouldn't be - his posture, his smile, the gleam in his eyes. Wylan had only encountered him for a few moments; he dreaded to think what it would be like to live with him.

So he took the packet from the girl's hand with a quick "thanks" and headed to an empty table. He slid out a pen from his pocket, one he'd brought specifically for something like this, and started filling out the application.

It started off easy enough. His name, his age, his current address, and all that. But then it started asking the more tricky questions, like education and emergency contacts.

For education, he put down high school, because honestly, how were they going to fact check that? And as for an emergency contact ... Jesper would have to do. It was far from ideal, but the sad truth was that he didn't really have anyone else.

 _Alright, Wy, getting a bit dark there,_ he grumbled. _Just turn in the application already._

He headed back up to the counter - luckily, there was no one in line at the moment - and handed the packet back to the girl. She gave it a quick once over in a way that just fell short of uncomfortable. "Wylan, huh?" she mused, reading the Name line. "That's a cool name. I'm Alina."

"I'm Nikolai," the boy interjected. "I hope I won't have to see the same boring face every day."

Alina elbowed him. "Ignore him. Thanks for coming in, Wylan. We'll get back to you soon."

"Uh, thanks," he said, then walked out of the Starbucks.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he surveyed the surrounding area. _What do I do now?_

He knew he would be worrying about Jesper if he didn't find something to do, but what was there? He didn't know the city well enough to identify where he could go to entertain himself, and he wasn't about to go back to his apartment yet.

_Maybe I could go and find Jesper's place ... ?_

_Yeah ... That's a good idea._ The more he thought about it, the better an idea it seemed. If he ever needed to go there in an emergency, he should probably know how to get there.

He brought the slip of paper from his pocket and typed the address into Google Maps on his phone, using Your Location as the starting destination. It was ten minute's walking distance, so he set off.

He couldn't get over how interesting Ketterdam looked. It was industrialized, that was for certain, but the pockets of green integrated throughout the streets just gave it a nature-like vibe. It was genius.

Eventually, he came to the correct street and surveyed his surroundings. It was a street where all of the houses were only slightly varied: one story structures with sturdy brick wall and a small patch of yard in the front. It was quaint; just enough for one or two people.

Jesper's house was at the middle of the street. There were some shrubs in the front, and the sidewalk up to the door was lined with a low white picket fence.

"Huh," he said to himself. "Alright. Cool."

The air was humid, but a cool whisper made its way down his spine, making him shiver. He impulsively looked around and saw the figure of a man standing further down the street.

Watching him.

 _Maybe he's looking at one of the houses,_ he thought, frantically trying to rationalize this even when he knew what it meant. _Maybe there's someone behind me that he's looking at._

But when he turned to look behind him, there was no one there.

It was just them.

Shoving his phone into his pocket, Wylan turned and began walking down the street, his heart pounding. _No no no no no,_ he thought, but when he shot a glance over his shoulder, the man was following him.

He sped up his pace. Maybe this hadn't been a good idea after all. He glanced over his shoulder again; the man had sped up, too.

Wylan could make out some details about him. He was fairly short and slightly overweight, with red hair.

He broke into a run, sprinting to the front of the street and turning the corner. If the man was overweight, maybe he'd be able to outrun him.

He didn't risk looking back. Falling could be disastrous. His feet pounded against the asphalt, his breaths coming in short and quick bursts. _I need to get to where other people are._

Thankfully, a grouping of outlet stores was close nearby. He slid into the crowd and stopped running, ducking into a bookstore.

His heart was threatening to tear out of his chest, and he was breathing much too deeply. He stumbled down one of the aisles and slid to the ground, shaking violently.

He had just been chased. A man had just come after him.

He reached into his pocket with a trembling hand and called Jesper.

*****

**Jesper's POV**

"What exactly will Nina be doing?" Matthias asked in a cold voice.

"Distracting, of course," Kaz said. "Next to the gun range where Kuwei was last seen is an arms store with a joint bar. The men there will be drunk and easy to glean information from." This answer seemed to both satisfy and annoy Matthias.

Jesper's role in all of this was fairly minimal, which he was thankful for. Kaz would give him an earpiece through which he would direct Jesper through the gun range, telling him who to approach and what questions to ask. Their goal was to talk to people that Kuwei likely would have interacted with and maneuver them towards divulging intel on the genius's whereabouts.

Abruptly, Jesper's phone rang. Frowning, he fished it out of his pocket, aware of Kaz's gaze on him. _Wylan._

"I have to take this," he said, walking out of the office and closing the door behind him. 

He leaned against the wall and accepted the call. "Hey, what's up?"

Wylan was breathing frantically, which immediately brought him alarm. "D-Do you know a short man with, with red hair?"

Jesper frowned. "Whoa, hang on. What happened? What's wrong?"

He heard the boy on the other line take a deep, shuddering breath. "I went ... to find your house," he said. "I wanted to make sure I knew how to get there if I ever needed to. But when I got there, there was a short, slightly overweight man with red hair down the street watching me. He started chasing me, so I ran, and now I'm hiding in this bookstore. I think I lost him."

Jesper's temper swirled to the surface. _Of_ course _my house is under surveillance. I probably have Kaz to thank for that. And as for the man ..._ "Are you okay?" he asked. "You're not hurt?"

"No, I'm fine, just ... Terrified."

"That's understandable. I'll have to talk to Kaz and see if he knows this man."

There was a brief moment of silence before Wylan said, "So you're with him right now?"

"Yeah. We're discussing the plan right now."

"Alright, well ... I'd better let you go. Can you ... Can you text me when you're home so I know you're safe?"

A smile curled at Jesper's lips. "Of course. Stay safe, okay?"

"I will." Wylan ended the call.

His happiness at Wylan's adorableness quickly faded as he remembered the situation. Scowling, he shoved his phone in his pocket and stormed back into Kaz's office. "Care to tell me what Pekka Rollins was doing near my house?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh snap! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm pretty happy with how long it is; I like giving you guys more plot with each update. Thanks for reading! Feedback is much appreciated.


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